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HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Times, July 1, 2009) -The single biggest and most important regional adaptation to climate change project that spans 13 countries is the focus of a one week workshop in Apia, Samoa.

The Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change Project (PACC) opened its inception training today with over 50 participants coming together to discuss the administration and implementation of the US 13.125 Million dollar project.

The week not only marks the inception of the PACC Project, but also the start of the very first region wide adaptation project to help countries address the adverse affects of climate change.

The importance of this workshop was echoed by the Associate Minister of Environment of Samoa, Hon. Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo, during his opening speech.

"For the PACC project to succeed we need to build a solid foundation to the project work that you...

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, July 2, 2009) – Melba Ortas, a longtime Flosse secretary, has reportedly been sent to the Nuutania jail in Tahiti. She had been previously held for two days and being questioned by a judge.

[PIR editor's note: Gaston Flosse is a French Polynesia politician who was a long serving President of the French territory. He currently leads the Tahoeraa huiraatira party.]

This new development occurs amid a fraud probe in French Polynesia's OPT (Office des Postes et Télécommunications).

Police first raided Tuesday afternoon the office of Gaston Flosse's Tahoeraa huiraatira party in Papeete.

The staff in the office was prohibited to communicate with any person outside during the search.

Former OPT and Air Tahiti Nui CEO Geffry Salmon is also detained in the Nuutania jail for the same investigation.

The chief executive of the French 2H advertising company, Hubert Haddad...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 2, 2009) – The European Union says it’s disappointed by Fiji’s new roadmap.

Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, said the country would have a new constitution by 2013 to make way for elections the following year and he called on the international community for assistance.

Commodore Bainimarama took power in a coup in 2006 and in April the president said he had abrogated the constitution.

The charge d’affaire for the European Commission in New Zealand, George Cunningham, says he’s concerned that the people of Fiji will now be without a constitution and an elected government for some time yet.

"We appreciate that the interim government wants to re-engage in dialogue, but we’re very disappointed that the elections are not...

KOROR (Palau Horizon, July 1, 2009) - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his delegation will be visiting Palau for three days.

President Johnson Toribiong announced on Friday that Badawi will be accompanied by his wife, eight others and five crewmembers of the Malaysian Royal Air Force.

The delegation will be arriving on a private aircraft on July 1, the delegation will be returning on July 3 to Malaysia.

Palau has no formal diplomatic relationship with Malaysia but Chief of Staff Isaac Soalablai said that the visit could pave the way for a forging of a mutual relationship.

Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan National parliamentary coalition.

The latest fatality for this year is reported to be a 41-year-old man who was believed not to be suffering any particular syndrome before death struck.

New Caledonia’s health and social affairs department’s latest update as at July 1 says in terms of dengue fever, the epidemic that has gripped the French Pacific territory since September last year has produced a total of 8,674 cases of infection, mostly of the serotype 4.

Since January 1, 2009, the cumulated figure stands at 8,485 cases.

The trend of the epidemic, however, has significantly slowed down since last month and a significant cooling of temperatures and humidity (the main factors for mosquito proliferation): the number of cases peaked at 3,412 cases in...

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, July 3, 2009) - The Northern Marianas College intends to use the bulk of its US$3.9 million share of the stimulus funds from the federal government to hire people for 18 positions that have been deemed critical to its accreditation.

NMC, in a document submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, said that positions that could not be filled because of budgetary constraints will be hired through the stimulus money.

The college wants to fill 18 positions in fiscal years 2010 and 2011, costing a total of US$815,512 in salaries and benefits for each fiscal year, or US$1.6 million in two years. NMC is entitled to use the stimulus money across a three-year period from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011.

These posts include assistant director for the School of Education, natural resources management program coordinator/instructor, English instructor,...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, July 3, 2009) – Tourism figures released in New Caledonia show that in the first four months of this year there was a drop of just over six percent in arrival numbers over last year.

This follows two consecutive years of minimal growth, with 0.3 percent increases according to local press reports.

The most significant drop this year has been seen in the New Zealand market, with arrivals this year down by 46 percent.

The local newspaper says tourist numbers from Japan were down 25 percent last year and a further 12 percent this year.

The downturn is offset by more visitors from France who tend to stay a month, often with family but also adding on stays in hotels.

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.